1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for curling hair, and more particularly to a hair curling device incorporating a cylindrical support assembly having a predetermined diameter and length and incorporating anchor means to which the distal or terminal end portion of a tress of hair may be temporarily secured, means precluding entanglement of the remaining length of the tress on the anchor means when the tress is wound about the cylindrical support assembly, and means for retaining the tress of hair temporarily wound on the cylindrical assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The practice of "dressing" hair, particularly hair on the heads of women, but also hair on the heads of men, extends back through history for an essentially indeterminate length of time. Because the "dressing" of hair usually, but not always, involves dividing the hair into separate tresses and then manipulating each individual tress to give it a selected form and then applying some type of solution to cause the hair to remain, more or less, in the form to which it has been manipulated, it has become the practice to temporarily support the manipulated or "curled" tress of hair on some type of support structure for an appropriate length of time, during which the treated hair will "set", i.e., assume the configuration into which it has been manipulated.
To support the manipulated hair until it "sets", many types of hair curler devices have been invented and produced through the years. A preliminary patentability and novelty search conducted in connection with the present invention has revealed the existence of the following five United States patents:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,106,213 3,529,608 5,538,021 5,588,449 5,715,846
U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,213 essentially describes and illustrates a hair curler comprising a helically wound cylindrically elongated spring support structure about the outer periphery of which is wrapped a netting material have diamond shaped openings therein. A brush having radially extending bristles is mounted within the spring support structure so that the distal ends of the bristles project through the openings in the netting material. Hair is wound about the cylindrical support spring and lies embedded below the ends of the bristles. Since the ends of the bristles may irritate the scalp when they come into contact therewith, a protective sheet of puncture proof plastic is attached to the spring support and may be wound about the curled hair tress so as to be disposed between the ends of the bristles and the scalp.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,608 describes and illustrates a hair curler formed from a generally cylindrical tubular member having a planar recess in its outer periphery on which is secured a hook strip on which the distal ends of a tress of hair may be engaged prior to winding the remainder of the tress about the tubular member. Hair pins inserted through apertures in the tubular wall of the cylindrical member retain the curler in position after rolling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,021 discloses and illustrates a hair winder for permanent waves comprising essentially a spool on an intermediate surface of which is mounted an adhesive strip. A length of foil is attached by one end to the adhesive strip, and is rolled along with the tress of hair so that the layers of wound or rolled hair are separated from one another. In another aspect of the invention the length of foil may itself be provided with hair engaging means that engages the hair as it is wound on the spool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,449 relates to a complex structure and method for highlighting hair and includes a first member in the form of a spool and a second member in the form of a cap that fits over the spool. A flexible sheet with a slit is attached to the cap. A section of hair is separated into two strands or tresses, with one tress being wound on the spool member and the second strand fed through the slit in the protective flexible sheet. After the requisite number of devices have been applied to the head, an appropriate chemical is applied to the strand or tress of hair that is fed through the slit, thus highlighting these particular portions of the hair. Aluminum foil is then wrapped about the treated hair to enhance the amount of heat that is applied to the treated hair from the chemical reaction that results from the application of the chemical to the hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,846 is similar to the structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,021 issued to the same inventor, and discloses an elongated strip of material on which are formed hook-like projections over the entire length of the strip. One end portion of the strip is rolled to form a tubular form integral with the remainder of the strip, and a strand or tress of hair is then applied to the tubular form and the remainder of the strip is then rolled up to envelop the strand of hair and to cause engagement of the entire length of the strand of hair with the hook-like protrusions projecting from the strip.
Experience has taught that when an elongated tress or strand of human hair is caused to adhere over its entire length to a supporting structure during the "curling" process, the hair frequently gets tangled with the hair retention means, necessitating the untangling thereof prior to continued rolling of the support structure. Additionally, it has been found that the removal of a hair curling device that fully engages the entire length of a tress or strand of hair imposes stress on the hair, frequently causes pain to the person whose hair is being curled, and makes removal of the hair curler more difficult and time consuming, and therefore lessens the number of customers that can be served by a hairdresser in a given time.
Accordingly, one of the important objects of the present invention is the provision of a hair curler that temporarily engages only the distal end portion of a strand or tress of hair, thus reducing the risk of entanglement and making removal less difficult and time consuming and eliminating stress to the hair.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a hair curler that is constructed in such a manner that a strand or tress of hair, either wet or dry, can be wound onto the hair curler by selective rotation of the hair curler in either direction without entanglement of the hair.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a hair curler that is economical to manufacture, may be constructed in different diameters to accommodate different lengths of hair or provide tighter curls, and incorporates means for the passage of air through the wound curl to expedite drying of the curled hair.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a hair curler incorporating anchor means for temporarily engaging only the distal end portion of a strand or tress of hair, and cooperating means for shielding and precluding the remaining portion of the strand or tress from engagement with the anchor means.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described but may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.